Posts Tagged ‘Nia students’
Posted by terrepruitt on April 17, 2012
Every year there is a Bay Area Dance Week. This year is the 14th annual dance week and it is being presented by Dancers’ Group. This will be the fourth year that I have offered my morning Nia Classes to New Students for free. I did it last year, but I didn’t post about it. I figured I should post about it to remind people it is happening. My 9:00 am Nia Classes on Monday, April 23rd and Wednesday, April 25th at Halanda Studio will be free to New Students. Here is another opportunity to try Nia for free.
In addition to Nia there are many FREE Classes during National Dance Week at Halanda Studio. Halanda Studio is owned by two women who rent out the studio by the hour. The variety of classes that are offered at the studio is very diverse. As you can see by the schedule of free classes there is several types of Belly Dancing from beginning to Intermediate/Advanced. Also being offered for free during Bay Area Dance Week is Hot Hula, Yoga, Zumba, Bollywood Fitness, and I’ve already mentioned Nia.
While I want you to attend classes at Halanda and in particular MY Nia class, my dancing spirit has to bring to your attention to the fact that from April 20 – April 29, 2012 it is Bay Area Dance Week. So there are FREE classes ALL OVER THE BAY AREA!!! According to the Bay Ara Dance booklet there are more than 650 groups, artists, and organizations participating. There are over 100 forms of dance to enjoy. Not only are there free classes but there are free performances.
The opening event is Friday, April 20th at Union Square Park in San Francisco. The closing event on Sunday, April 29 will be at 2 pm in Union Square Park in San Francisco where there will be simple circle dance for peace among people and peace with Earth. Looks like this dance will be led by the amazing Anna Halprin. She is 92 years old and still dancing and teaching dance . . . now that is what I call amazing!
Below is the current list of FREE classes (as of Tuesday, April 17, 2012) being offered at Halanda Studio in San Jose during Bay Area Dance Week (Friday, April 20th through Sunday, April 29th – 2012)
Saturday, April 21:
9:30am-10:30am: Bellydance Basics with Amanda
10:30am-12:00pm: Bellydance & Beyond with Amanda
12:00pm-1:00pm: Bellydance Fusion Technique with Michelle
1:00pm-2:00pm: No Rules Bellydance with Michelle
2:30pm-3:30pm: Tunisian Folk Dance with Pamela
—
Sunday, April 22:
2:00pm-3pm: Hot Hula Fitness with Marie
—
Monday, April 23:
9:00am-10:00am: Nia with Terre
4:00pm-5:00pm: Silk Road & Middle Eastern dance for Kids with Farima
7:00pm-8:00pm: Bellydance – All Levels with Hala
8:00pm-9:00pm: Bellydance – Intermediate Technique & Drills with Hala
9:00pm-10:00pm: Bellydance – Choreography with Hala
—
Tuesday, April 24:
5:00pm-6:15pm : Hatha Yoga – Mixed Levels with Dahlia
6:30pm-7:30pm: Bellydance Workout with Natika
7:30pm-8:30pm: Tribal Fusion with Natika
8:30pm-9:30pm Fan Veil Dance with Natika
9:30pm-10:30pm Silk Road Fusion Dance with Farima
—
Wednesday, April 25:
9:00am-10:00am: Nia with Terre
6:00pm-7:00pm: Bellydance with Setareh
7:00pm-8:30pm: Hala Dance Company Rehearsal with Hala
8:30pm-9:30pm: Basic Belly with Naima
—
Thursday, April 26:
6:30pm-7:30pm: Killer Drillz Level 1 with Vanessa
8:30pm-9:30pm: Dances of Persia & the Silk Road with Farima
—
Friday, April 27:
7:00pm-8:00pm: Zumba Fitness with Melissa
8:00pm-9:00pm: Tunisian Folk Dance with Pamela
—
Saturday, April 28:
8:00am-9:15am: Power Flow Yoga with Delanie
12:00pm-1:00pm: Bellydance Fusion Technique with Michelle
1:00pm-2:00pm: No Rules Bellydance with Michelle
—
Sunday, April 29:
9:30am-10:30am: Bollywood Fitness with FusionBeatz
There are other classes taught at Halanda, but the classes listed here are the ones that are participating in Bay Area Dance Week.
Aside from Nia :-), what classes are you going to try out?
Posted in Exercise and Working Out, Nia | Tagged: Anna Halprin, Bay Area Dance Week, Bay Area Nia, Belly Dancing, Bellydance Fusion Technique, Bollywood Fitness, dance choerography, Free Dance, free dance performances, Free Nia, Halanda Studio, Hot Hula, Middle Eastern dance, Nia Classes, Nia students, Nia Technique, San Francisco, San Jose Dance, San Jose Nia, Silk Road, Tribal Fusion, Union Square Park, Yoga, Zumba | 1 Comment »
Posted by terrepruitt on April 7, 2012
In Nia we do something that is called cooking all four sides. When I first learned this I thought it to be just when we were on the ground. “Cooking” to me was the “side” of the body that was on the ground. When you “cook” all four sides you allow your belly, your back, your left side, and your side to “cook” on the ground. So basically you are lying on a different “side” at one point in the dance. In one routine, I can’t remember which one, while we are standing we turn and face one wall, then turn again, then turn again, then turn again and Debbie called it cooking all four sides. I thought, “Wow! I hadn’t thought to call THAT cooking all four sides, because (as I mentioned) I think of ‘cooking’ as being on the floor.” But it works. We are “cooking” or facing all sides, all walls. In country line dancing we call it a four-wall dance. Often times there are a few steps then a turn, a few steps, then a turn, and so on, eventually you face all four walls. There are two wall dances and maybe even three, but the point is you face a different direction. Generally the back becomes the front and the front becomes the back.
I’ve posted about Nia Routines before. I explained a bit about how the routines are created and teachers can purchase them. Nia routines used to be choreographed and performed on the training DVD by Debbie Rosas or Carlos Rosas or both. I’ve also posted about the fact that Nia morphs and changes. At the end of 2010 Carlos AyaRosas, the male co-creator of Nia retired. As with any company that wants to continue on after a founder retires Nia had to make some changes. To me it seems as if Nia had been thinking about this for a while. I know when I attended my Nia White Belt Intensive both Debbie and Carlos talked about Nia continuing on after they leave. So it seems to me that they had plans and ideas for how Nia will change. I think it is evident in the way that Nia does not seem to be a flag flapping in the wind, it has true direction. With the exit of Carlos a new era has been born. Debbie is now co-creating routines with Nia Black Belt Trainers. I love Nia and enjoy both the routines Debbie created and the ones Carlos created. There are some I like more than others. I am not saying that I like the new one I have seen more than I liked the “old” ones, I am just saying, “Yay! Nia is not disappointing me.” The new routine I have looked at is just as fabulous as the old routines I love.
As a little background: In order to teach Nia we must pay a licensing fee. When we pay the fee we are purchasing the right to teach, continued education, and four Nia routines. We are free to purchase additional routines when they are available, but four are included in the licensing fee and we are obligated to learn at least four a year. I just recently renewed my license and ordered my routines. I ordered two that are older (from 2007 and 2008) and two that are considered our new ones, dated 2011. Usually I skim through all four before deciding which one to learn next. One of them I ordered I have done once before in a class so I know that I like it and I was planning on learning that next, but my curiosity about one of the new ones got to me. I decided to learn it next after having watched it.
I am very excited about this routine because it has the “four-wall” or cooking all four sides technique in it. The routine I am currently teaching has it too but only briefly, this new routine has this technique in more than one song. Since a Nia class is not a dance lesson we just lead follow like other cardio workout classes the cooking all four sides is to not a series of complicated steps, but it does allow us to face other directions. In FreeDance there is always opportunities to face many directions and sometimes in the Nia movements alone one can be turning far enough to achieve facing another wall, but this is choreographed to have the entire class turn. It allows the class to see a different perspective. I think it is fabulous.
It could be making me nostalgic and thinking of country dancing days . . . but more so, I am excited to have this technique used in a Nia routine so my students can see things from the front if they are always in the back or the back, if they are always in the front. It will help move the class in new directions and Beyond!
Have you ever thought about the fact that a cardio dance class is pretty much like a line dance?
Posted in Nia | Tagged: cardio class, cardio dance, cardio workout, Carlos Aya Rosas, Carlos retired, Carlos Rosas, CEU, continued education, cooking all four sides, country line dancing, dance class, dance technique, Debbie Rosas, four wall dance, freedance, Nia, Nia Black Belt, Nia class, Nia DVD, Nia education, Nia license, Nia routine, Nia students, Nia teachers, Nia Technique, Nia White Belt | Leave a Comment »
Posted by terrepruitt on January 28, 2012
I spent a large portion of the day practicing Alive, it is the Nia routine I am starting to teach. I debuted it Friday, but I need to practice and practice. In Nia we say, “tight but loose”. So I need to know the music and choreography to perfection which allows me to dance with it and play to it is loose and flowing and fun to my Nia students. So practice and play is the key. I was so busy having fun with it I didn’t have a lot of time to come up with a blog post. Because I also spent some time in the kitchen making a different version of my Baby Bok Choy and Spinach Soup recipe. The people I made it for convinced me that it was good enough that I could use my adaptation of my Baby bok choy and spinach soup recipe as a post. So here goes.
Parsnips, Broccoli, Baby bok choy, and Spinach Soup
–olive oil
–1 medium sized onion chopped (save some for garnish)
–2 parsnips (chopped)
–1 bunch of broccoli (chopped)
–4 bundles of baby bok choy (bottom portion separate from leafy portion, chop both and leave separate, they are added to the soup at different times)
–2 or 3 tsp of minced garlic
–1.5 tsp granulated garlic
–1.5 tsp garlic salt
–48 oz of chicken broth
–a half of bottle or can of beer
–shake or two of teriyaki
–small piece (3/4 of an inch) of ginger, chopped
–3/4 of a 6-oz bag of spinach
–1.5 (ish) wooden spoonful of cream cheese spread whipped with chives
Sautee chopped onion in the olive oil. When the onions look tender add in the chopped parsnip, add granulated garlic and garlic salt. Cook parsnip until it seems a bit tender, then add the bottom portion of the bok choy and broccoli. Let it cook a minute, then add the minced garlic. Sautee until tender. Then pour in the broth. Add about a half can or bottle of beer and the few splashes of teriyaki. Stir it as you feel necessary throughout the entire process. Bring to boil. Add the cream cheese if you are going to use it. Add the ginger. Add leafy portion of the bok choy and bag of spinach. Let cook for a few minutes or until the veggies are wilted. Once the veggies looked wilted use the blender to mix it all up. (I use the immersion blender so I can keep it all in the same pot. Please remember to be cautious of the steam.)
The parsnips give this a little difference flavor and the broccoli leaves little green specks in the soup no matter how much you blend it. Actually when you look at it, it looks the same as all the other soup I make. But it tastes different.
I was trying to make something easy to eat for someone with a sore throat. This soup is kind of thick yet easy to swallow and it packs a punch with all the vegetables it contains. Thank you so much for taking the time to read this and let me to continue to share my soup experiments and at the same time put spending time with friends and family at the forefront of life!
Enjoy!
Posted in "Recipes", Food | Tagged: baby bok choy, beer in soup, broccoli, family time, garlic, immersion blender, Nia Music, Nia routine, Nia routine Alive, Nia students, Nia Teacher, parsnips, soup recipe, spinach, teaching Nia, vegetable soup, veggie purees | 6 Comments »
Posted by terrepruitt on December 15, 2011
I have a Nia student who bakes bread all the time. Challah to be exact. YUM! Several times when I’ve gone to her house she answers the door with flour on her. I have another friend who bakes bread and pizza dough and yummy things all the time. She even makes her own little slider buns. So cute. So yummy. I am a bread lover. Bread it awesome. Bread is so versatile. I love bread. It is absolutely silly that I don’t make my own bread. But I was afraid of yeast. I know that sounds ridiculous, especially to you bread makers, but it is the truth. The whole “active” and rising and “proofing” just scared me. What if it wasn’t active? What if it didn’t rise? What is proofing anyway?
I was talking with someone who was telling me someone else wasn’t doing something. We were trying to figure out why. Why wouldn’t this person want to do that? The person talking suggested it was because she was afraid and didn’t want to fail and her comment was, “So what? Fail, but at least you tried and you can do it again. Do it until you don’t fail.” Ah-ha! It was one of those moments. What I was not doing because I was afraid of failure was much less serious than what we were talking about. I am being vague to protect the innocent. 🙂 But believe me, yeast is a lot less serious and traumatic than the other situation. So I realized how silly I was being. It’s bread. It’s yeast. Whoppedee-do, if it doesn’t work. Granted I wouldn’t want to waste all the ingredients that go into it, but it is not THAT big of a thing.
I had even bought the yeast a long time ago (well, not THAT long ago because then again, don’t want it not to be able to be activated). So I decided to start with something I think of as even easier than bread—pizza dough. Now you might know that I think of both sandwiches and pizza as the perfect foods. They are bread/grains, veggies, dairy, and meat —- perfect. Even more perfect because you can eat it with your hands. Anyway . . . . I found an easy pizza dough recipe. After going back and forth, “Do I follow the directions on the yeast package or the directions on the recipe?” I decided to just go with the recipe. Actually, now that I am typing this up, I bought the yeast to make pita bread, but I let it sit until I had the above mentioned conversation at which time I decided to try pizza dough because I felt it was easier.
Anyway . . . my first shot was ok. The flavor was good but it was very “bready”. It was REALLY THICK, so I decided on my next try I would split the dough up and make two crust. But the second one didn’t rise nearly has much. Ya see, the recipe says to let the dough rise for 30 minutes. But a few of the comments said they let it sit longer. So I did that. I let it sit for hours, then I rolled it out to as large as my pan, which seemed pretty thin to me, but during the baking it puffed up. It was like thick crust pizza. So that is why I decided to split it the second time. But the second time the ball of dough seemed smaller, so I used it all and rolled it thin and it still puffed up. Not as puffy as the first time, but thicker than I wanted. I like thick crust, but I was trying to make thin(ner) crust pizza. After I cooked it —- and we ate it, I thought, “Oh the temperature.” Was that it? Did it not rise as much because it was colder the second time? I didn’t think about that until AFTER all was said and done. But it was much colder in the house the second time than the first time. So bready-people/pizza dough makers the temperature that the dough is left to rise in affects it, huh?
Here is a picture of my second pizza. This is two meals. Mine is the bottom portion, a half with spinach and mushrooms, and one with just spinach. The top portion has mushrooms and raw onions for my hubby. He is not a bready person, but he says he like the pizza even though the crust is REALLY thick. I will keep at it. I will experiment and play. Now that I am not so afraid to fail I can play. I am sure that one of these days I will get some bad yeast or I will do something wrong, but that is ok, at least I tried . . . . . and I look forward to all the pizza it will give us!
Posted in Food | Tagged: bread, bread dough, breadmakers, Challah, failure, Nia, Nia students, perfect food, pizza, pizza crust, pizza dough, proofing the yeast, yeast | 10 Comments »
Posted by terrepruitt on December 8, 2011
I was talking about Nia with my Nia students recently after our Nia Class. They were telling me what they think Nia is. They said that Nia should come up if they were doing a search on the internet using the term dance exercise. I was really happy to hear that. I always get stuck when people ask me what Nia is because to me it is a lot of things. If you have read any of my posts on this blog about Nia you know how its principles can be applied to life and how at its very basic level it is a workout. But way beyond that it is a practice. When people ask me about it my enthusiasm takes over and I want to tell them ALL about Nia, when I could just stick to the basic level – it is dance and dance is exercise.
Even though it is exercise and it is a workout it is fun. I love that “Dancing With The Stars” really helped show people what a great workout dancing is. Dancers have always known that dancing is a great workout–both aerobic and strength. I think people have always known to some extent that PROFESSIONAL dancers get a workout, but I think that show opened the door to more people understanding that dancing even if you aren’t a professional is a workout. Yes, the “stars” do end up dancing as much as professionals to learn the dances, but still for some reason it seems like it enabled people to see that dancing is exercise—but it is fun!
As with any workout the participants can put what they want into it. If you really want to get a workout you can move bigger, farther, higher, lower, faster . . . whatever works for you to get the workout you need and want. The possibility to move small, slow, and just be mellow is always there. It is very versatile. It is cardio but if you really move — especially during floorplay — it can be a great strength training workout.
I actually started teaching Nia because it was a dance exercise. I don’t know if I have mentioned that before in this blog, but I was looking for something to teach that was very dance-y yet was exercise. I knew a lot of women who said they loved to dance and they would like to dance but their partners didn’t like it, so they thought that a workout that was dance would be great. It is. It is very fun. We dance to all types of music. There is a lot of opportunity for self-expression. Even when we are doing specific steps there is a lot of room for one’s own movements.
Nia was created to be fun, to address the entire being. Debbie Rosas-Stewart and Carlos Aya-Rosas brought us this wonderful movement practice through years of hard work and research, that started in 1983. Carlos retired at the end of 2010, and Debbie is moving Nia forward in a great direction. Body-centered, spirit-filling, and mind-blowing. We are dancing up a storm and loving it. It is dance, it is exercise, it is dance exercise and if you try it you will love it.
Posted in Nia | Tagged: aerobic workout, cardio workout, Carlos Rosas, dance exercise, dance practice, Dance Workout, Dancing with the stars, Debbie Rosas, Nia, Nia class, Nia Dance, Nia Practice, Nia students, Nia teachers, Nia workout, professional dancers, professional dancing, strength training workout, White Belt Principles | 4 Comments »
Posted by terrepruitt on October 20, 2011
Nia routines are choreographed movements to music. Nia’s choreography is pretty. In fact in many cases it is beautiful. Most Nia katas are based on the 52 Nia moves. Steps and moves have been carefully selected to fit with the music, for the most part. There are times when we are invited to just dance without a design. No matter the choreography we are always encouraged to dance in our own way–and that just might not be “pretty” to some people. The body — our bodies — the human body is put together in a specific way. Our parts are connected in a specific way. Movement is allowed and restricted by the way the body is constructed. Some bodies cannot move as was intended. Some bodies might have actual physical limitations that do not allow for soft, fluid, “pretty” movement. For some lifting their arm over their head might cause discomfort. It could be that they are not accustomed to lifting their arm that high so it might not be easy—at first. Some might have tight hamstrings or other muscles so their movement might be less than natural. But Nia is a journey, a practice. Over time the joints will loosen with practice and/or the muscles will become more flexible and be able to move with ease. It could become “pretty” or not. Nia might not be pretty, but it is authentic. It is not a performance. It is how our bodies move. Your body, my body, not the same body so we will move differently and it could be pretty or not. What I might think is pretty you might not. Let it be authentic.
Some bodies have other types of restrictions, could be mental or emotional. It could be, having been taught all her life “ladies” don’t move their hips “like that”, there is an automatic stop placed in her mind so her hips don’t thrust or gyrate. It could be that she thinks that movement is “ugly” so she won’t allow her body to do it. It could be that chipping away at that barrier will take time. And the learning might not be “pretty”. It might be choppy and not happen all at once. It could be that there is an emotion attached to a particular movement. An emotion can act as another type of mental block and not enable or allow the Nia participant to move as the body was designed. And that could, in turn, result in something that isn’t “pretty”. Nia might not be pretty, but it is authentic.
It could also be as previously mentioned — some have an idea of what moves are “pretty” and what moves are not, so for them maybe the “ugly” moves should be kept off of the dance floor, but Nia is not a performance. It is authentic movement of the body.
It could be an arm-raising, hair-whipping, sweat-dripping, face-reddening, body-jiggling, foot-stomping, voice-howling, eyes-crying, heart-softening, spirit-raising, mind-opening, body-moving dance exercise which, to some, just might not be pretty. It is not a show, it is not a performance it is a movement, it is a practice, it is a dance, it is an exercise, it is a workout, it is an experience, it is authentic. It is what you allow your body to do. It is what you want it to be. It is what you sense.
When we allow our bodies to move in an honest way we defer to the body’s intelligence. The body speaks to us, but we need to listen. It will tell us if what we are doing is causing pain so we can tweak the movement and move towards pleasure. Also we can learn which areas of our bodies would benefit from more flexibility or more strength if we listen. All the while, to someone who is expecting a performance this might appear “not pretty”. But to those who have experienced the freedom of listening to the body’s intelligence we see it as beautiful. We know there is a path, there is a journey.
I personally feel that it is beautiful when a participant moves to the music in a way that only s/he can move. Sometimes I might catch a glimpse of one of my Nia students and I have to remind myself that I too need to move according to the sense of the music because otherwise I would stop and watch. It is an amazing wonder to witness a surrender to the music. To some it might not be “pretty”, but it is truly beautiful. So dance your dance. Dance in your body’s way. Don’t judge. Don’t worry about if it is “pretty”. Movement is a glorious and beautiful gift to be enjoyed and not stifled. Let your movements be authentic and don’t worry about those who might think it is not pretty.
Posted in Nia | Tagged: body intelligence, dance exercise, dance performance, Dance Workout, Nia, Nia 52 moves, Nia choreography, Nia katas, Nia Music, Nia Practice, Nia routines, Nia students, the body's way | 4 Comments »
Posted by terrepruitt on October 18, 2011
One of the things we practice in Nia is something we call RAW. We are Relaxed, Alert, and Waiting. It is listening to music by listening to the silence and the sound. The body is relaxed. The mind is alert. The conscious is waiting. We sit and listen. Our spines are upright, tall, and lengthened, even though the body is relaxed. Our muscles are not tense, but they are ready. Within our spines there is space around each vertebrae. The mind is alert. There is no inner dialog with ourselves going on in our head. We are waiting. What we are waiting for is the next sound or the next silence. We are listening to both the instruments and the silence. We are curious. We are listening to the music as a whole. Listening for specific sounds and silences that can allow us to sense many things. The specific sounds and silences can also be used as cues when teaching a Nia class. We might hear a flute every so often. So we might train ourselves to listen for that soft sound. Then we might notice that always after the flute there is a ting of a triangle. Eventually we might notice that right after the triangle there is a moment of silence. We are relaxed. We are alert. We are waiting, either for a sound coming out of silence or a sound of a familiar pattern, as in the triangle after the flute.
With this tool we are to listen and observe what transpires in the music. We aren’t to form an opinion of whether it is “good” or “bad” or whether we like it or not. We are just listening and learning. Part of RAW is not moving. This to me is one of the most challenging parts of RAW. We are to listen and not dance. We are to listen and not move to really be able to LISTEN and in order to be in the sensation of RAW and not allow the sensations of the body interfere. Sometimes it is really hard to do. Nia routines are set to music that inspires the body to move so to have to sit still and just listen is not always easy.
Additionally, I slip out of the tall, upright, and lengthened spine. Once I start barring the music I tend to lean on my arm. Ya know, elbow on the desk, forearm upright, chin resting in the palm of your hand? Without fail this makes me sleepy. The combination of being relaxed, and alert – so I have no conversation going on in my head, and I am waiting. I start to fall asleep. Then I realize I missed the instrument I was waiting for. So I sit up and start again. Sitting up tall and with a lengthened spine really is the key.
It’s a practice; Nia and RAW. It works too. Listening to the music in this state of concentration really helps me learn my music. It is fascinating to think of the silence as music just as much as the instruments are. RAW is a great tool that Nia has taught us to help with our Nia practice both as teachers and as students.
Posted in Nia | Tagged: barring the music, Nia, Nia class, Nia inspiration, Nia Music, Nia Practice, Nia routine, Nia students, Nia Teacher, RAW | 2 Comments »
Posted by terrepruitt on October 13, 2011
Almost a year ago one of my Nia students let me borrow a book, Conditioning for Dance. Even though I had it for a week I didn’t take time to look at it in-depth. But I like what I saw enough to buy the book. A year later and I still have not looked at it in-depth, but again, when I pick it up and thumb through it, pausing to read here and there I love what I see. Eric Franklin’s idea coincide a lot with Nia and many mind body practices. I touched upon this in my original post Dance Conditioning.
The ideas he has shared in this book are somewhat like the Nia White Belt Principles in that they can be applied to more than just the workout or the technique, they can be applied to life. In th beginning portion of the book Franklin talks about how sometimes when dancers are unable to perform a step, often the first thought is it is because the dancer is not strong enough. So the dancer then works to build strength in the muscles required to do the particular step. But it is not always because they are not strong enough, sometimes it is because they have other issues. So getting stronger to power through the move will not necessarily allow them to do the move correctly, but it allows the issues to be reinforced. If you are doing something incorrectly because of other issues continuing to do it without resolving those issues just enforces the issues.
His tips in regards to the above can be applied to life.
-When doing a task sense your body. Learn to recognize when it is out of alignment or what behavior causes it to be out of alignment then practice doing that same task in a different way that allows your body to stay in alignment.
I know so many people who are in physical pain, it is my belief that many of them are because we do things without thinking and we do things that actually cause our bodies to be out of alignment. When sitting at your desk at work do a body check. Are you sitting up or are you slouched over? Are your legs crossed? Is your mouse so far away from your hand that you have to lean forward and/or really extend your arm? These types of things that we do over and over and actually work our bodies into a state of misalignment. I remember walking into a friend’s cube while she was working and after watching for a second I asked her what she was doing? She responded that she didn’t know what I was talking about. I said she was having to practically get out of her chair as she leaned forward to use her mouse. She looked confused and then shrugged. I suggested she move her mouse pad closer to her and she shrugged and did. No, my friend is not stupid, she was just focused on working and never stopped to really think about her body and its alignment. She just “did” because that was the way it was. There are probably a lot of things — little things, just like that — we can do to help our body’s alignment. Just sense your body as you go through your daily tasks.
-Imagine yourself doing the task. Imagine all that it will require to complete the job then go through it mentally. While imagining, sense the muscles that are used.
This is an easy one to apply to everyday. Whatever it is that you want to do imagine doing it beforehand and it will help you be aware of your body before you even begin the task. And this could also allow you to think of things that might slow you down if you had not thought of it before had. It will allow you to be better prepared.
-Seek the help of experts.
People that have done what you want to do before are always a great resource in life.
-Think positive. If there are problems or issues think about them work to find solutions, but don’t dwell on them and allow them to affect your performance.
Thinking positive is a great tool and becoming so much more widely accepted as actually having benefit. Everyone has problems. Thinking positive doesn’t mean you don’t have problems it just means you don’t dwell on them.
-Work on flexibility making sure it the body is balanced.
In life it is good to be flexible, but you also need to have balance. Can’t be so flexible you become wishy-washy.
-Participate in strength training and do exercise that will help you reach your goal.
Strength training has so many benefits in everyday life, it is good for anyone at any age.
-Find ways to increase alignment without causing tension.
Everyone has different ideas on how to be aligned and in balance. But it should become a source of great stress in your life, so try to find ways to be balanced that will add to the ease and relaxation.
In his book Franklin goes into more detail and relates it specifically to dance. Here I was using my own words and trying to “vague it” up a bit so that it would be obvious how dance training tips could be applied directly to anyone’s life.
So amazing. I am always amazed how our Nia White Belt Principles that we use in our dance practice can be applied to life. But then, to me, that is what makes it a practice. So I guess I shouldn’t have been surprised . . . and I really wasn’t, I was excited, that these tips for dance could be applied to more than just dance conditioning.
Posted in Exercise and Working Out, Helpful Hints | Tagged: Conditioning for Dance, dance conditioning tips, dance training, Eric Franklin, flexibility, Nia, Nia Dance, Nia Practice, Nia students, Nia White Belt Principles, strength training | 2 Comments »
Posted by terrepruitt on October 4, 2011
If you follow me on Twitter, are a Facebook friend of mine, or look at my website, you will have seen that my Nia students and I have been doing Nia in the park. I teach Nia at two different facilities. There is my Monday and Wednesday class that meets at 9:00 am. We meet in a little dance studio in an area of San Jose called Willow Glen. The studio is about 900 square feet, it has a laminate floor and a large mirror. It is long and slightly narrow. It is a nice little place. I have been teaching there for over two and a half years. Some of my students have been dancing Nia with me for that long. In November of 2010 I started teaching Nia on Fridays at a different studio in Los Gatos. It was a different type of studio . . . it was more of an exercise studio where exercise classes are held. They had a separate room for Pilates Reformer classes. Well at the end of August this studio said they were moving. When they would be done with the move and how it all was going to work was very up in the air. At one point I was told by one of the owners that we would only miss one Nia class. So I just decided that one class would be ok to miss. It would not be worth the time involved to secure another place to hold a class. But then the next week we were told it would be at least another week. So I asked my students if they wanted to hold a class in the park. Many students are wanting to participant in Nia three times a week so they said yes. We decided to try it.
Well, I think that not having Nia that one Friday really helped us all realize that we do like to have it three times a week. Monday, Wednesday, and Friday just seems pretty perfect. On the Friday we met in the park we didn’t know how it would go. We didn’t know if the weather would cooperate. We didn’t know if there would be too many people for us to dance on the volleyball court. See that is one thing, I have often entertained the idea of do Nia in a park, because grass really sound likes a great place to dance barefoot. Natures cushioned dance floor. But I have always been concerned about holes, bumps, and ruts. The thought of someone turning their ankle on the grass has always kept me from following through with it. Plus, the idea that was tossed about had always been an evening class. I imagine parks being really busy in the evening.
This park that we have been at is really close to the studio in Willow Glen. There is a basketball court and a volleyball court that have been empty in the mornings. I imagine the basketball court is occupied in the evenings, but while we are there it is empty. The volleyball court is somewhat in the shade and provides us with a smooth flat surface to move on. The park seems rather busy the hour before we arrive. Seems like many loving dog owners take their dogs out for morning exercise. There are mother’s and children at the playground. We have had to dance without music when the lawnmower has obliterated the sound. But that was only once or twice for a song or two.
The studio has been closed for longer than we had anticipated. So we have been doing Nia in the park for four weeks. The weather has been very nice. Once it was warmer than we like, but so far we have had great temperatures. This week it is raining. The forecast is saying that it will be sunny on Friday, but we will see. The studio has also announced that it will not be open for two more Fridays. So we might get this week in at the park and next week. I have been leaving it up to my students. If they tell me they are going to be there, then I say, I will be there too!
I have really enjoyed our time at the park. I sort of wish that we could do it there all year, but with winter coming, although winters in the San Fransisco Bay Area are not full of snow, we do get rain and I don’t think we want to dance in the rain. So I am sad that our time in the park is ending. I hope that we will be inspired to do Nia in the park again at some point after these next two weeks. I am really doing it because my students wanted to do it because we love Nia. I know that some classes take place on the beach and other outdoor places. I am so happy that I have been able to experience Nia outdoors and share it with my students.
Yeah, this is me sharing. 🙂
Posted in Nia | Tagged: beach Nia, dance studio, Facebook, helpyouwell.com, Los Gatos Nia, Nia class, Nia Dance, Nia Los Gatos, Nia Movement, Nia San Jose, Nia students, Nia studio, Nia Teacher, Nia website, Nia workout, park Nia, Pilates, Pilates reformer, San Francisco Bay Area Nia, SF Bay Nia, Twitter, Willow Glen Nia | 4 Comments »
Posted by terrepruitt on September 29, 2011
Nia White Belts focus on the body. The body is what we can use to teach. It is fascinating. By the time we teach a routine in front of a class we should know the music and the choreography so well we don’t have to think about it. I know I have shared before about how there is a point where I can’t learn any more without taking it to the class. That is not necessarily the way we were trained to do it, but that is how I do it. I have worked on learning a routine, got as far as I felt I could go, taken it to class and only done it for one class before I go back and work on learning it some more. With that one class I was able to get past the learning plateau. But for the most part we know the music and the routine well by the time we share it with our Nia students. This allows us to concentrate on what we are sensing. This is White Belt Principle #13, Teaching What You Sense.
One of the Nia White Belt Manuals says:
While Nia impacts every aspect of our lives, it is first and foremost a somatic practice rooted in physical sensation.
© 2010 Nia Technique, Inc. | NiaNow.com Principle 13 Lesson Plan | 1
Teaching what we sense, what we are experiencing in our own bodies allows us to connect with what is going on in our students’ bodies. When I feel the stretch in my side, I can say, “Everybody sense your side.” This allows each participant, each individual body to sense what is going on in his or her own body. It could be a stretch. It could be a twinge which might be a signal to tweak the movement. Whatever is sensed belongs to the individual. I am not saying, “You SHOULD feel . . ” I don’t know exactly what they should sense. Each person is different. Nia teachers invite Nia students to SENSE parts of the body so each person can get the workout their body needs.
While we are dancing the moves we are showing the Nia students the Nia choreography, we are also guiding them with our words. In addition to guiding them through the Nia routine’s choreography we are guiding them through a somatic workout. A workout that is rooted in the Body’s Way. By teaching what my body is sensing participants learn what THEIR bodies are sensing and in turn we all learn our our own individual’s body’s way.
Learning all of this in a cardio dance workout class might seem like a lot, but it is something that happens over time. It might also sound different than other exercise classes, and that is because it is different. It is unique. Each class brings new awareness. When students desire to they can take what we touch upon in class out into their lives. Being aware of the body’s sensation as we live and go about our everyday chores and pleasures. We could call it “Noticing what we sense.” But for me, as a Nia teacher/student I am encouraged to teach what I sense and it makes a world of difference in the workout you receive.
Posted in Nia, Nia White Belt Principles | Tagged: cardio, cardio dance workout, Dance Workout, Nia cardio dance workout, Nia choreography, Nia class, Nia Music, Nia participants, Nia routine, Nia students, Nia teachers, Nia White Belt, somatic practice, the body's way, White Belt Principle #13 | 2 Comments »
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